


"The Hard Part Isn't Making The Decision"

by I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own



Series: Suilad Aran Thranduil [24]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: I didn't even realize at the time, I wrote this piece on the 22nd of December 2014, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Wow. Anniversary. O.O, but I started this little series thing on the 22nd of December 2013, spoilers?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 20:13:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2824745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own/pseuds/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life is about choices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"The Hard Part Isn't Making The Decision"

**Author's Note:**

> Title is a quote from Law Abiding Citizen "The hard part isn't making the decision. It's living with it." 
> 
> Majorly long Author's note/rant/statement of observations.

_Dear Adar,_

_Life is about choices. Small choices. Big choices. Choices that do not seem like choices. Life is all about them. What do I want to wear today? What will I eat today? What do I say? Where will I go today? What will I do? So very many choices._

**_“I’ll go with you.”_ **

_Everyone is defined by the choices they make, not by the choices they do not. Whether you make a good choice or a bad choice. Whether you make wrong choices for the right reasons, or right choices for the wrong reasons. Everyone is defined by the choices they do make, not by the ones they do not._

**_“-there is no place for me.”_ **

_For every choice made, there are consequences, both good and bad. There are always consequences._

**_“-you’ll have to kill me.”_ **

_The trouble with making choices is that sometimes it is hard to live with them afterwards. Whether you make a good choice or a bad choice you are going to have to live with that choice for the rest of your life. So many people do not realize this until it is too late._

**_“Your father calls you back to him.”_ **

_Some choices are really hard to make. Some are so easy you do not even feel like you have made a choice, but you have._

**_“You can tell my father-“_ **

_Sometimes our choices have grace periods, where we forget the consequences of our choice are still to come, and sometimes the consequences of our choices are immediate. Whether they have a grace period or not, the consequences are absolute._

**_“You think this is love?”_ **

_We often make choices without knowing the price we will have to pay._

**_“Are you willing to die for it?”_ **

_We think this is acceptable._

**_“There is no love in you.”_ **

_Sometimes, not always, but often enough, we pay the price before we understand that the price is too high._

**_“You will not walk away from this.”_ **

_Life is about choices._

**_“He did not listen.”_ **

_I am sorry, father, but I think I made a wrong choice._

**_“There is no grave, nor memory.”_ **

_I think I made many wrong choices._

**_“Death is upon you.”_ **

_I thought I knew better._

**_“It is our fight.”_ **

_I knew nothing._

**_“Your world will burn.”_ **

_I made my choices and you made yours, but I am the one writing this letter._

**_“The flames of war are upon you.”_ **

_I am the one left behind._

**_“I know its wrath and ruin.”_ **

_It hurts._

**_“Do you understand now, elfling?”_ **

_I think, for the first time, I truly understand you, father, and now that I do, I do not know that I want to. But choices and consequences, and consequences are absolute._

_There was never any doubt as to how much you loved our kingdom. As to how much you loved me. There was nothing you needed to prove, Adar. I hope you know that._

_Forever your son  
Legolas_

_Ps. Naneth, I know you are reading this over Adar’s shoulder._

_I miss you, too._

**Author's Note:**

> What if Thranduil didn't survive the Battle? Legolas wouldn't have known until he couldn't find his father anywhere, or until he got back to the main battlefield area and found the elves mourning, for they would have thought Legolas dead as well. (and this brings me to a point I spent the last hour thinking over)
> 
> Because I noticed with the battle that NONE of the commanders for the 'good' side were communicating. They were all operating as separate entities, while attempting to work as allies, which is detrimental in the long run, mainly because it just doesn't work that way. If I remember correctly, Thorin and co come out of the Mountain in the Book and Thorin starts rallying forces to him, but it is not JUST the dwarves that respond to Thorin's call, many of the elves and the men from Lake Town who were sundered from their commanders rallied to Thorin as well. In the movie, it seems like the men, the elves, and the dwarves are ALWAYS fighting separately except for that initial scene where the elves step in (lols) and prevent the dwarves from being completely eradicated. After that scene, there is nothing (the whole Legolas saving Thorin and Thorin returning the favour doesn't count. Neither does Kili and Tauriel's stuff). 
> 
> Furthermore, the main commanders of the separate armies (Bard, Thranduil, Dain, Thorin, Gandalf) seem to be off doing their own thing as well. Like Thranduil's off in Lake Town, doing god knows what without his guard (namely being boss and taking heads). Thorin's off with Dwalin, Kili, and Fili (somehow the best warriors of the 13 when Kili and Fili are like... barely old enough to have been allowed to go on the journey?) and Dain's just having a good ol' time down by the lake. Bard is off rescuing his family, and then I forget what he did after that (oops, it was clearly very memorable). Gandalf's just casually keeping in touch with where everyone is (Eru knows how he's doing that) and working his way around the battlefield from party to party.
> 
> As a result of the lack of communication, Fili and Kili fall into a trap, Fili ends up dead. Kili ends up dead. Thorin ends up dead. Legolas and Tauriel nearly end up dead. God knows what Bard, Thranduil, and Dain are doing at this point except presumably fighting for their lives and NOT communicating. How did Thranduil know where to go to find Legolas? Did someone see him head off that way while they were VERY BUSY FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES and remember it afterwards? How did Gandalf know where to find Bilbo? (I mean, yes, okay, maybe the Eagles were like 'hey, dude, the little dude is on the frozen lake, have fun, brah.' but really.) Communication between allies in war is kind of REALLY crucial. 
> 
> Hell, communication in most things is crucial. Imagine if cars didn't have lights or indicators, imagine if the roads weren't painted and there were no signs, how would you EVER know where the people in front or behind you were going? More to the point, how do you know where YOU are going? And how do you know that you aren't going to turn the corner and smash into an oncoming car? Like, yeah, you hate everyone else on the road while you are driving, but you still communicate with everyone else on the road cos you'll probably end up very, very dead if you don't. Get me? So, I find it very strange that they have this major battle going on, and none of the good armies are communicating with each other, like at all.
> 
> If any of you have ever read any history books, I'm sure you'll have come across things like 'word received that (x) is overrun, requesting back up' and 'word received that (x) has fallen' those 'words' were delivered by some messenger, whether it was a pigeon or some poor bugger on horse-back, there was always someone/something operating as messenger between two allied armies, and between a single army. Each General should have their own messenger, or someone able to carry a message for the King/Emperor/Head of the Army, because otherwise you end up in this situation where the guy in charge thinks you and your buddies are doing JUST FINE and are living it up over in your little corner of hell. Meanwhile, you're all actually dead or dying, and no one finds that out till they bump into you in a hallway in heaven(or hell/other afterlives are available) and they have a moment of 'hey, wait, don't I kno- oh, well that explains a lot'. 
> 
> I'm going to go insane thinking about this. Excuse me.


End file.
